Between 100-150 pantropical spotted dolphins Stenella attenuata were discovered milling around in shallow water at Whalers Cove, south-east of Albany yesterday morning at 9.00am. One dolphin had already died. DEC officers monitored the dolphins until high tide yesterday when conditions were suitable for the pod to be herded out to deeper water.

Lured into deep water by baby dolphin

Regional leader nature conservation Deon Utber said DEC officers translocated a juvenile dolphin by boat to deeper waters as part of the operation.

“The juvenile was sending out distress signals, which was calling the dolphins in, as soon as it was translocated to deeper waters the pod followed it out and last we saw they were swimming out to sea,” he said.

There was no sign of the pod the following morning. A DEC spotter plane conducted aerial surveillance off the coastline but the pod could not be found.